[KevinC]

I used to always buy raffle tickets - not so much because I thought I'd actually win a car, but to support the CCA. Then a couple of years ago they started giving away HEAVILY modified cars as the grand prize. Take a nice M car then hand it over to a tuner to slap a ton of aftermarket parts on it - suspension, wheels, cosmetic stuff, I think at least one even had a roll cage. Suddenly the car is a track monster, but not at all daily-driver friendly. Nor did the winner get to choose any of this stuff. So I've stayed away while this was going on.

Apparently people complained, because this year, they're back to a bone-stock M3 - but - it also has Individual paint, in a color called "Ruby Star Neo". Is it just me, but is this color downright offensive to the masses?

https://bimmerlife.com/2025/05/01/bm...-car-revealed/

They COULD have included an Individual color - but let the winner pick it, then order the car and wait a few months. That would be a great solution. Or if it's important to them to be able to hand over the keys immediately, just go with some tamer color that would appeal to the masses. I can't see this Pepto Bismol-looking disaster appealing to many at all.

What say you?

[DanG]

Originally Posted by KevinC

I used to always buy raffle tickets - not so much because I thought I'd actually win a car, but to support the CCA. Then a couple of years ago they started giving away HEAVILY modified cars as the grand prize. Take a nice M car then hand it over to a tuner to slap a ton of aftermarket parts on it - suspension, wheels, cosmetic stuff, I think at least one even had a roll cage. Suddenly the car is a track monster, but not at all daily-driver friendly. Nor did the winner get to choose any of this stuff. So I've stayed away while this was going on.

Apparently people complained, because this year, they're back to a bone-stock M3 - but - it also has Individual paint, in a color called "Ruby Star Neo". Is it just me, but is this color downright offensive to the masses?

https://bimmerlife.com/2025/05/01/bm...-car-revealed/

They COULD have included an Individual color - but let the winner pick it, then order the car and wait a few months. That would be a great solution. Or if it's important to them to be able to hand over the keys immediately, just go with some tamer color that would appeal to the masses. I can't see this Pepto Bismol-looking disaster appealing to many at all.

What say you?

My preference would be that they gave you up to XYZ dollars to choose the BMW of your choice. I personally think the M3/4s have gotten to big. I would much rather have an M2 CS.

[BklynNYBMW]

I totally agree and did the same as you. The last beautiful car they offered was a B6 Alpina years ago. Over the years the cars being offered are all track ready cars. Totally impractical for just about everyone. Now they offer the M3 (which is an awesome car) but in that god awful color. What were they thinking. I will be buying tickets and if I win. A cash pay out would be my route. They can keep the car. Now if they offered the raffle car in Hera Mica Blue Metallic. I would be all over it (lol)
__________________________________________________ _____________________________________
2024 X6 M60i. Tanzanite Blue with Black extended Leather with Red Calipers. Every option box checked. AKA Blue Knight
2021 M340i xdrive. Tanzanite Blue with W/Oyster with Red Calipers. All options except Adaptive M suspension, Driver Assistance Professional Package, Cooling and High Performance Tire package. AKA Blue Angel
*Retired 04/30/21: 2018 340i MSport Xdrive sedan. Glacier Silver w/Oyster. All options except active cruise control and window shades. AKA Airstream * Retired 12/16/23: 2017 X6 5.0 MSport, Carbon Black Metallic w/ black leather. All options except vented seats and B/O sound system. AKA the Tumbler

[Westside Guy]

I just received the latest edition of their Roundel magazine with the raffle information featured on it. I totally agree that this color is disgusting.

They should have allowed the winner to select their own Individual color combination.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by KevinC

stock M3 - but - it also has Individual paint, in a color called "Ruby Star Neo". Is it just me, but is this color downright offensive to the masses?

I'm sure there are fans of "hot pink" color out there, just not me, or you.
I suspect there are a few teenage girls out there who will disagree with us. I doubt they will be buying raffle tickets.

Originally Posted by KevinC

They COULD have included an Individual color - but let the winner pick it, then order the car and wait a few months.

Originally Posted by DanG

My preference would be that they gave you up to XYZ dollars to choose the BMW of your choice.

That's NOT how any of it works.
BMW CCA shakes BMW NA down for a few car donations (charitable deductions). Then CCA raffle them off at marked up prices: $25 ticket for 1/5,500 chance (e.g.: implied $137,500 value vs. stated $106,580).

Then the winner gets the car with a corresponding tax overhead, with BMW CCA obligated to report winning amount as income to the IRS on Form W-2G.

Hard pass.

a

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by KevinC

I used to always buy raffle tickets - not so much because I thought I'd actually win a car, but to support the CCA. Then a couple of years ago they started giving away HEAVILY modified cars as the grand prize. Take a nice M car then hand it over to a tuner to slap a ton of aftermarket parts on it - suspension, wheels, cosmetic stuff, I think at least one even had a roll cage. Suddenly the car is a track monster, but not at all daily-driver friendly. Nor did the winner get to choose any of this stuff. So I've stayed away while this was going on.

Apparently people complained, because this year, they're back to a bone-stock M3 - but - it also has Individual paint, in a color called "Ruby Star Neo". Is it just me, but is this color downright offensive to the masses?

https://bimmerlife.com/2025/05/01/bm...-car-revealed/

They COULD have included an Individual color - but let the winner pick it, then order the car and wait a few months. That would be a great solution. Or if it's important to them to be able to hand over the keys immediately, just go with some tamer color that would appeal to the masses. I can't see this Pepto Bismol-looking disaster appealing to many at all.

What say you?

Agreed on all counts.

[Josh-PA]

Ruby Star Neo is/was a Porsche standard color for the 992. Seems even more of a stretch to pick a P Car color as your individual instead of a cool BMW specific color.
https://www.rennbow.org/porsche-colo...y%20Star%20Neo

[LuisBoston]

I entered. If I win, I will sell the car. Easy enough.

[Hammerhead13579]

I just got the magazine too and saw the raffle. This is my first year as a member. My wife's Z4 is wrapped in a color just slightly lighter than Zandvoort Blue....so I'm entering the raffle for her because she loves the color on the M3 😆.
I will gladly pay taxes/registration/insurance if we win but will likely sell it in a year or 2 and pay down our mortgage with the "winnings".

[BWBike]

Nope; don’t like the color even a little. Maybe they wanted it to really stand out.

[KevinC]

Originally Posted by afadeev

BMW CCA shakes BMW NA down for a few car donations (charitable deductions). Then CCA raffle them off at marked up prices: $25 ticket for 1/5,500 chance (e.g.: implied $137,500 value vs. stated $106,580).

Well of course at "marked up prices" - the whole point of this is to turn a profit to fund CCA operations. I don't think anyone doesn't realize that.

[BeEmVe]

Always good to read the contest rules:

Prizes subject to availability. BMW CCA reserves the right to substitute a cash prize and/or BMW model of equal value. Federal taxes will be withheld. If a prize does not include a cash allotment for payment of federal taxes, a certified check made payable to the BMW CCA for required tax withholdings will have to be received prior to taking title to the prize.


So you win the vehicle but do not have the money for the up front taxes. What is BMW CCA going to do? Me, I would just ask for the cash prize as I would not want to drive a buck toothed bimmer regardless of the color.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by BeEmVe

Always good to read the contest rules:

Prizes subject to availability. BMW CCA reserves the right to substitute a cash prize and/or BMW model of equal value. Federal taxes will be withheld. If a prize does not include a cash allotment for payment of federal taxes, a certified check made payable to the BMW CCA for required tax withholdings will have to be received prior to taking title to the prize.


So you win the vehicle but do not have the money for the up front taxes. What is BMW CCA going to do? Me, I would just ask for the cash prize as I would not want to drive a buck toothed bimmer regardless of the color.

The MSRP of the M3 they are are offering is $106,580; in Florida the sales tax is 7% = $7460.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by BeEmVe

Always good to read the contest rules:

Prizes subject to availability. BMW CCA reserves the right to substitute a cash prize and/or BMW model of equal value. Federal taxes will be withheld. If a prize does not include a cash allotment for payment of federal taxes, a certified check made payable to the BMW CCA for required tax withholdings will have to be received prior to taking title to the prize.


So you win the vehicle but do not have the money for the up front taxes. What is BMW CCA going to do?

They will have you talk to cousin Vinny...

Originally Posted by BeEmVe

Me, I would just ask for the cash prize as I would not want to drive a buck toothed bimmer regardless of the color.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

The MSRP of the M3 they are are offering is $106,580; in Florida the sales tax is 7% = $7460.

You would pay income tax on it, and also possibly sales tax to register it. So you would owe the income tax on $106.5k over whatever income tax you would already owe. On both federal and state taxes.

[BeEmVe]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

The MSRP of the M3 they are are offering is $106,580; in Florida the sales tax is 7% = $7460.

There is the sales tax one may potentially need to pay but there are also state income taxes one may potentially need to pay. But there will definitely be federal income taxes one will need to pay.

Because states sales and income taxes vary the clause notes only paying federal taxes before receiving the vehicle.

Also note while I mentioned I would want to take a cash prize that may not be optional. That is the only option may be to take the vehicle. BMW CCA does not note what may be possible.

I bring the later point up because people have walked away from such grandiose prizes simply because they could not pay the taxes up front. That is one can not simply take the prize, sell it, and then pay the taxes.

BMW CCA does not note what they might do if that were to happen.

Grandiose prizes are catchy but the real catch is the taxes.

[NickyC]

The exterior color is awful, it matches the car perfectly.

Ivory interior however is very, very nice.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

You would pay income tax on it, and also possibly sales tax to register it. So you would owe the income tax on $106.5k over whatever income tax you would already owe. On both federal and state taxes.

Luckily there’s no state income tax in Florida, only sales tax.

[Sandy Eggo]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

I just received the latest edition of their Roundel magazine

Did yours feature a typo too? I guess nobody could stand to look at the XM for long enough to notice the error..

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

Luckily there’s no state income tax in Florida, only sales tax.

Nope, but you'd still have federal income tax on it.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

Nope, but you'd still have federal income tax on it.

Correct, and if it wasn’t for the ugly Pepto-Bismol color on the M3, if you win you could almost consider that a long-term gain! 😉

[wwhan]

That disgusting color is worse than all the pink Mary K cars I see around. It reminds of some horrible nail polish color from the past.

Example: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel 90s 893 "Beet Me At The Mall" Nail Polish